I've collected about $200 (face value) of U.S. junk silver coins and wonder how to sell them for the best price. Opinions?
to CoinTalk lh. Some possibilities for sale of scrap silver, in no particular order of preference, include: www.kitco.com a local jeweler a local coin dealer any metal refiner found in the Yellow Pages EBay other internet auction sites advertisers in coin newspapers and magazines other individual coin collectors coin shows Of course you want to do your homework and make sure that everything you are selling that way is truly "junk silver", and doesn't include any 1916D Mercury dimes, etc.
Look on craigslist.org to see if you have any buyers in your area. You might want to post them for sale on craigslist. You should be able to get at least 9x face. You might also want to update your location so that interested people could contact you if you are close to them.
Casually ask a few friends, coworkers, neighbors, relatives, etc if they have any interest in buying a couple of old silver coins from you for bullion value. YOu may be surprised at how many people would want them. If one of them has a real interest, you can let them know that you actually have more than a couple. You'll probably get a better price, avoid the shipping hassles, and make someone very happy.
Don't sell them! Keep them to give out in lieu of tips. Many of you, like me, leave a tip for the waiter/waitress. Just think of the results if you leave two or three old coins (silver dime, quarter and half dollar) (total face value $0.85) as a tip in lieu of the usual two or three dollars. Though the coins aren't worth much to you, three silver dimes (30 cents) is an exciting find for someone who's not a numismatist. You'll get more out of the "junk" silver than you'll get selling them. Clinker
tips? But how many people would actually realize they are silver. You would probably end up with a server that thinks you stiffed them on a tip.:secret:
I have to agree with vipergts2 on this. As I work in the restaurant business, I am a chef, most waitstaff want paper money as opposed to coinage, even if it is silver. Most just throw their change in a jar at home and when it gets full they roll it and off to the bank it goes. Then again, that may be a good thing for roll searchers!
vipergts2 For years I've given away cull Indian Cents, Buffalo-backed Nickels, and Liberty head (Mercury) dimes. Worthless to me, but unusual keepsakes to those I tipped. Sure one or two may think you're a cheapskate, but someone will tell them the coins are old or different. After awhile the waiters/waitresses will fight to wait on you! Try it a few times and see.... Clinker
Yup I agree. Even if you explain that the coins are 90% silver they probably won't know what to do with them.
I got an old worn mercury dime out of a tip jar once...the person was happy to let me have it for a modern dime...she said...'its almost worthless like it is, I dont care'...So I took the silver dime and replaced it with a modern dime... I dont know but it seems to me if I left a few silver dimes or nickels in bad shape instead of a few dollars (that they can use when they get off work), most wouldnt like that...could be wrong. Not only would they probably not know what to do with them...what CAN you do with 3 silver dimes...its more time and hassle to sell them off and unless you care about holding on to a worn old coin...they wont care about saving them.
I decided to see what kind of results I would get. I went to get my haircut a couple of months ago. I always see the same girl for my haircut, and over the past few years I've always tipped her $5. Well, this one time I went in got my haircut and at the register I pulled out a $5 bill in my left hand and a worn 1943 Walking Liberty half in my right. I told her that she would get to choose her tip... man, that Walker was in her hands before I finished the sentence. She knew nothing about it, but it was different and exciting to her. Now I always tip her some combination of silver worth about $5 and the other girls there seem kinda jealous. I think silver Washingtons and Roosevelts won't get much attention, but Mercs and Walkers sort of scream "Keep me"
no offense, kitco won`t even answer your email for $200 face value.. you should go to a local dealer to sell only to expect to get beat. Silver is fairly high in the mid $13 range, but only $200 face will make you a big smally fry. There were times not too long ago I would have broke your arm to commit to paying me 9X face. Now is not one of those times... Unless you REALLY need the money, I would hang on to your really little bit of silver.....
